Currently, standardization of communication specification named long term evolution (LTE) is proceeding targeting actualization of high speed data communication with a mobile communication network utilizing a cellular phone and the like.
In a network which utilizes the LTE as the communication specification, a communication path for transferring user data, that is, an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer, is established for each quality of service (QOS) between mobile equipment such as a cellular phone and the network. Further, the mobile equipment has a packet filter for determining the EPS bearer through which user data is to be transferred for each connecting service (PDN: packet data network).
When the user data to be a transfer object is obtained, the mobile equipment extracts information such as an internet protocol (IP) header, a transmission control protocol (TCP) header, and a user datagram protocol (UDP) header provided to the user data. Then, the mobile equipment determines the EPS bearer through which the user data is to be transferred as comparing the extracted information to the packet filter. In mobile equipment, a method to determine an EPS bearer through which user data is to be transferred based on a packet filter provided for each service is called a packet filter function. The packet filter function is standard specification defined by the third generation partnership project (3GPP), which is a standard-setting organization of communication specification.
Further, in the 3GPP, the abovementioned mobile equipment is divided into a terminal equipment (TE) and a mobile termination (MT). The TE performs control of an application function and is connected to a plurality of services (PDN: packet data network) via the MT. Here, the TE includes an internal TE existing at the inside of the mobile equipment and an external TE connected to the MT via an external device such as a universal serial bus (USB). Further, the MT performs communication protocol control between user equipment (UE) and a network (NW), that is, between the mobile equipment and the network.
Further, as described above, the packet filter function is to determine an EPS bearer through which user data is to be transferred based on an IP header, a TCP header, and a UDP header. Accordingly, in general, the packet filter function is provided to the TE side on which an IP layer is mounted.
For example, see Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2009-512254, and Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2005-522914.
FIG. 24 is a view illustrating an example of a configuration of traditional mobile equipment. As illustrated in FIG. 24, in a case that mobile equipment UE performs communication control of a plurality of TEs such as an internal TE and an external TE, a packet filter would be provided to each TE. However, owing to a reason described below, it is not realistic to provide a packet filter to each TE. Here, the internal TE is a TE arranged at the inside of the mobile equipment and the external TE is an information processing device such as a personal computer and a server functioning as the TE as being externally connected to the mobile equipment via a USB and the like, for example.
Since a packet filter is generally mounted by each vendor who performs development of a TE, it is just conceivable that each vendor mount a packet filter on a TE in a different way. For example, it is conceivable that an interface connecting an internal TE and the MT and an interface connecting an external TE and the MT are different owing to that the internal TE and the external TE are developed respectively by a different vendor. In this case, since functional difference of the interfaces is absorbed at the MT side, there is a fear that a configuration of the mobile equipment becomes complicated. Accordingly, it is not a realistic method to provide the packet filter to the TE side.
Here, as a technology relating to the abovementioned packet filter function, a technology to provide a single packet filter to an MT side has been proposed, for example. Further, there has been proposed a technology that an EPS bearer is determined at a network side for transferring user data from the network side to mobile equipment by using a packet filter and a policy enforcement point (PEP), which is specific to the network accommodating the mobile equipment, and the like.
As described above, in a case of performing communication being compliant to the 3GPP standard specification, a packet filter table would be prepared for each service (PDN: packet data network) to which the mobile equipment is connected. However, the technology to provide a single packet filter to the abovementioned MT side is not intended to be used originally in a case that a packet filter table is provided for each service to be connected from mobile equipment. Therefore, any solution is not proposed for a problem which may occur in a case of providing a plurality of packet filters to respective TEs.
Further, with the technology to determine an EPS bearer in a case that user data is transferred to mobile equipment from the abovementioned network side, the EPS bearer can be determined at the time of filtering with the PEP owing to that mapping between the PEP and the packet filter function is uniquely performed. That is, it is an object to improve processing redundancy by resolving duplicate filtering processes performed by the PEP and the packet filter function in a case that the user data is transferred from the network side to the mobile equipment. Therefore, the technology does not propose any solution for a problem which may occur in a case of providing a plurality of packet filters to respective TEs.